Twenty One
by pearlchavez
Summary: When Sonny Munroe turns 21, not only do her castmates seem to have forgotten, but she's also dealing with the repurcussions of her break up with Chad Dylan Cooper.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Ok, so I originally posted this story on Friday, which was a mistake, because it was the first draft and I hadn't had a chance to edit it. You know what it's like; you get excited about it and you want people to see it right away. I never did have much patience. The story is also going to be a twoshot, after someone told me it was too long. Yeah, it's way too long to be a oneshot. Anyway, please read and let me know what you think. Enjoy! =]**

Thank God for the person who wrote the lyric; 'it's my party and I'll cry if I want to'.

That was the first thing that flashed through Sonny Munroe's mind when she woke up in the early hours of her twenty-first birthday. The moment she opened her eyes, the tears seemed to flow simultaneously and she didn't have the strength to stop them any longer. She looked at the clock and saw that it was five am; she had ten more minutes left before her mother would come into the room like she did every year. Sonny was born at ten past five and her mother never forgot it. Every year before it was perfectly acceptable for her to maintain her ritual, but Sonny didn't think that she could muster the strength like she used to. For the past month she felt like she had been dragging around double her body weight and was surprised she hadn't collapsed from emotional exhaustion. She would cry for ten more minutes and then she would force herself to smile and remember that she was the birthday girl. Birthday girls weren't supposed to cry, but as she said it to herself, it only made her want to cry more. It was absolutely ridiculous and she cursed it for making her upset on her birthday, but it had ruined everyday for a month so why would it relieve her for just one day?

"Sonny! It's your birthday!" She heard her mother hissing rather loudly as she opened the door. Oh crap; her clock was five minutes behind, wasn't it? Sonny sat up and wiped her eyes, attempting to smile, but no one could outsmart Connie Munroe without looking like a fool in return. Since birth she had been Sonny's everything and that included her confidante. Still, Sonny smiled and she leaned onto her mother when she put her arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. "Is that tears I see on the face of the birthday girl?"

"I'm fine, really," Sonny insisted, but she wouldn't buy it. She knew that her daughter wasn't okay and she had been aware for a whole month now. Why couldn't she just be happy? Why didn't she know the art of repressing feelings for the short term? She would have given everything to pretend not to feel the way she did.

"Are they tears of joy at least?" Connie smiled hopefully and Sonny managed to giggle, but it made the sobs rise up in her throat further. "Aw honey, what's the matter? I thought you'd be happy on your twenty-first. I know I was."

"It's so stupid," she shrugged her shoulders, but her breath was short she was managing about a word a breath. Yeah, she would never have been able to hide it for long had her mother not guessed. "I'm just a little bummed for the obvious reasons I guess."

"Did you guys make plans?" She asked and when Sonny nodded her head she winced, showing empathy. Of course they'd made plans because it was her birthday and it was supposed to be a huge landmark in both their lives. "Well, what did he have in store for you then kiddo?"

"He was going to take me to Vegas for the weekend and we would play the slots," Sonny explained and she felt like she was speaking of the dead. She could barely talk without having to suppress sobs. "He even said to me that if the mood graced me that he would marry me if I wanted to."

"He knows I would have killed him, right?" Connie asked jokingly and somehow it made Sonny laugh even though she had been holding back any kind of retort so she wouldn't cry. That was what she told him; that her mother would have a stroke if they did such a thing. Of course she didn't tell her mother that she would have been mightily disappointed if they hadn't gotten married. "Oh babe, it's never easy losing your first love. Trust me; I know first hand that it's the hardest one to get over."

Sonny had to admit that her sensational split with Chad Dylan Cooper was nothing compared to her mother losing her father to cancer just a few years before. Maybe Connie was trying to guilt trip her daughter into pulling herself together, but she still felt like she had lost a huge part of her. Sonny and Chad had broken up just a month before amidst rumours of growing apart and infidelity. Sonny knew that the former was true and she was convinced that the latter was just a lie to sell magazines.

She could still remember the day that she went to see Chad Dylan Cooper, knowing in her heart that the love they shared had died out. Sonny had felt it for a while, but she didn't say anything thinking that her feelings were just short term and she was just experiencing hardship like everyone felt in a long term relationship. They had been together for over five years and she was beginning to feel the brunt of such a stable relationship.

The first sign was when Sonny looked at her single friends and secretly wished that she would have the fun they had when they were out dancing. It was terrible, but she began to wish that she was single and that she could flirt with young men considering she was also young. She began to look at Chad as an anchor weighing her down and holding her back from her full potential. It was extremely selfish and she hated herself for it, but it wouldn't go away. It happened every time she was out and when she was with Chad she had to force herself that everything between them was fine and that she was just feeling a little left out. She had one of the best boyfriends in the world, but she just couldn't see it.

The second sign was their constant arguing over...everything. In the months leading up to their split they fought about everything anyone could possibly fight about. She would pick fights about anything; once she picked a fight when he called her ten minutes later than he told her he would. Every time they fought she knew it wasn't right, but every time he was upset she found herself smiling. She found their fights exciting and when they didn't talk she actually preferred it. Again she told herself that it would pass and that it was just because she was stressed, he was stressed and they were in a long term relationship. Relationships weren't easy and they were simply dealing with the everyday problems normal couples dealt with, not to mention the constant sppotlight that was the media looming over them.

When Sonny and Chad's fight became public and they began calling each other names when at work – something they promised they would never do to maintain professionalism – she knew that she was holding onto foundations falling apart. He called her bitter and she called him stupid almost everyday and she knew that they were slowly but surely falling out of love with each other. No one had to tell Sonny she had to end her relationship; the realisation came when she and Chad ended up fighting at a friend's house on date night. She told him that she would much rather be with his better looking friend and he grew so angry that she threw a plate at him and he punched the wall in fury. Their relationship was no longer fun.

Sonny Munroe always burst into tears when she thought of the day she and Chad ended their relationship. She'd had to convince herself it was the right thing to do, but as she made her way to his dressing room, she was consumed by thoughts of the fun they'd had. Why did time have to ruin everything? Time seemed to have taken every fibre of fun from their beings and transformed them into what they hated most. What happened to their passionate fighting followed by passionate kissing? What happened to the jokes they told each other? What happened to them being unable to speak because they were laughing so hard? It all seemed to wash away with time. The day she ended her relationship with Chad Dylan Cooper was the day Sonny Munroe realised her immortal enemy would always be time.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" She asked her soon to be ex-boyfriend who closed his eyes as he was being pampered by the make-up girl who had been in love with him since they met. She glare at Sonny like she had ruined the most beautiful thing in the world, but Chad Dylan Cooper didn't recognise anyone outside of himself unless they were significant and shone like the brightest star. He once told Sonny that and she had always treasured it; she would always treasure it. Those were the days when they were consumed only by love and respect.

Chad opened his eyes and when he looked at her, she culd have sworn he didn't look at her the same way he used to. Even when they were immature teenagers mocking each other and denying they had any feelings, he always gazed at her like he was seeing her for the first time. Now he looked at her tiredly and with dismay, wondering if a fight would follow her words like it almost always did. That was another thing she would treasure; when he looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Sure," he shrugged his shoulders and then he motioned for the make-up girl to quickly make herself scarce. He barely looked her in the eye, but she gazed at him until she had disappeared completely out of the room. Chad stood up and crossed his arms, struggling to find the expression suitable for the moment. Should he have been angry? Should he have been remorseful? He didn't know. "Look, before you say anything, I just want to apologize for what happened the other night."

"I don't think my friend will be inviting us back after that," Sonny remarked, cursing herself under her breath because she had promised not to sound sharp when she was talking to him. She didn't want their final moment as a couple to be one full of cursing and pointless fighting. The fights were what made her regret falling in love and risking everything when she agreed to go out with him. Now they were about to part and they would surely never speak again. "Chad I really need to talk to you about something."

"I lost my shit and I shouldn't have," he insisted. Why did he have to be so full of sorrow? Why couldn't he be conceited and arrogant like he always was? Why did he choose this moment to be good hearted? It only made Sonny's decision that much harder. He sighed and massaged his temples with his thumb and forefinger. "I know this isn't the first time it's happened and I was actually going to talk to you about that. I think we should maybe consider counselling or something. This can't go on; I just can't keep fighting with you. I mean I know relationships are stressful – trust me the one I have with myself has dark moments too – but this is becoming too much."

"Chad, I think we should break up," Sonny told him quickly, like she was ripping off a band aid. When she heard his suggestion about relationship counselling, she realised that their relationship was beyond repair. They were too young to consider seeking help only married couples did. She couldn't imagine airing their troubles in front of a stranger, knowing that she didn't feel as strongly as she used to. People who went to counselling went because they wanted to save their relationship; Sonny wasn't so sure she did anymore.

Chad looked up at her. She was surprised when he looked genuinely shocked and saddened by her suggestion. No, surely he didn't think that their relationship could be salvaged? Wasn't his suggestion about counselling just a front to hide the fact that he also didn't want to save their relationship? His wide eyes and frozen posture certainly didn't suggest it and Sonny was left with a frightening realisation: he didn't want to end their relationship. Surely she was wrong. Surely he saw that their poisonous words and murderous glares weren't worth the rare moments of affection she had missed for a long time.

"You think we should break up?" He asked her, and his throat sounded dry. Sonny couldn't help but panic a little when he downed a whole glass of water within seconds. Old habits clearly die hard. When she thought of yet another memory regarding the two of them, she found herself smiling for just a second before she returned to unfortunate reality.

"Don't you?" She asked him, begging him to see sense, but maybe that was because she didn't want to be consumed by guilt as well as devastation. "All we do is fight. You can't seriously tell me that you're happy now. I don't know about you, but I haven't been happy for a long time."

"I know we've been going through a rough patch, but-"

"It's not just that and I think you know it's not," she accused, pointing her finger, but she was fooling herself. She didn't want to be the one that broke Chad Dylan Cooper's heart. She wanted them to be equally responsible for emotionally breaking the other. "I threw a plate at you the other night! You told me that I'm the biggest waste of time and space in your life just last week! Are you telling me that's a healthy relationship?"

"I didn't mean what I said to you," he insisted, but it was a lie. People didn't just say things like that in the heat of the moment and previous insults had sounded similar. He had only worded things differently last week, but the message was a recurring one. "And I know you were upset when you threw that plate. I know things are hard, but all relationships are hard! I know that when I'm re-evaluating the relationship with myself-"

"Oh my God! Can we shut up about you for just a minute? Please!" She snapped. That was another thing; Sonny had fought valiantly for the biggest room in Chad's heart, but she always suspected that it was reserved for the one person Chad truly loved; himself. Chad stood back, surprised at the volume of his girlfriend's voice and he gave in, staying silent so that she could speak.

"Relationships are hard," he repeated, his voice remaining firm, but she could see his sparkly eyes glimmering like he was trying to hold back emotion. Sonny would be lying if she said she had a heart of stone at this moment. "But we can fix it. Relationships are shot to shit when people stop communicating, but if the two people really love each other then it can be saved."

"Yeah, when two people love each other," Sonny replied, almost muttering it under her breath, but Chad had to hear the truth. When the words came out of her mouth, they felt like vinegar and when she looked at Chad, her heart almost broke. His face remained still like stone, but behind those eyes she could see his world falling apart. A part of her regretted saying it, but her mind convinced her to continue as she meant to end things.

"Are you saying you don't love me anymore?" He asked her softly, but he could barely say it without almost breaking down. Sonny was convinced that her tears would wait until she had left the room. They would wait until she was alone. She didn't want to waste another tear on him.

"I don't know when it stopped but..." Sonny had to stop a second before the sobs poured out of her mouth like a volcano erupting. Chad watched her with his hands in his pockets, trying not to look her directly in the eye or he would break down too. "It's not the way it was. I don't love you like I used to."

"Okay well I guess there's nothing left to say then, is there?" Chad asked her, in that calm voice he always cemented his true feelings with. Sonny Munroe was convinced that Chad Dylan Cooper completely closed down at that moment and she'd lost him forever. When she looked into his eyes she saw nothing, only those blank sapphires refusing to look at her. When she studied his face, it was like she was staring into the face of a statue. The Chad she fell in love with was gone. "That's just great. I am so glad you've come to this decision. It's fine."

"Chad, I-"

"I think you can go now Sonny," he told her sitting back down in his chair, collapsing as if he had been carrying a heavy burden. She felt like she was mourning him; she felt her eyes well up with tears when she saw that the man she loved seemed to have disappeared for good. "It's fine."

"Fine," she replied. She supposed that their parting words were all she had left and she wanted to remember them forever if that was all she could remember.

"Good."

"Good."

Sonny left after that and as she returned to So Random she remembered their fine/good arguments fondly and her heart started pounding like it hadn't done in such a long time. Maybe she was a masochist and she enjoyed hurting herself, hence why their relationship had met such a grizzly end. No, it had to be more than that because she had stayed with him for five years. She made herself promise that she wouldn't speak with Chad for a month and she wouldn't dwell on the things she used to love about him.

Connie made her daughter chocolate chip pancakes that morning and they both sat in the living room watching TV and talking about anything and everything. Her mother had been her best friend for such a long time, before a certain jerkthrob came into her life. Why couldn't she even enjoy breakfast without thinking about him? Okay, they'd made plans for her birthday, but the Randoms would make the day just as enjoyable. Did she really want to spend the day with a guy she'd grown tired of? She convinced herself that it wasn't worth it. She was a single girl and she should take full advantage of it.

"Good morning, my name is Jennifer Adams and I am your host this morning on Tween Wekly," the bubbly blonde exclaimed proudly. How could she be proud of being someone who turned ordinary people into tabloid trash? Was she happy that her organisation's constant speculation over 'Channy' had been a factor in the end of their relationship? The lies that woman and her organisation continually spread had been the symptoms of many of their arguments in the past few months and Sonn couldn't help but despise the channel. "This morning I caught up with TV's Chad Dylan Cooper to find out how he's coping as a new bachelor in Hollywood. As you already know, Chad split with his first love Sonny Munroe amidst rumours of infidelity and constant fighting."

"We did not split over cheating! Damnit!" Sonny snapped. For years she had told herself to ignore the shallow stories the media printed about her and Chad, but how dare they taint their relationship with something so scandalous! Their relationship had been a beautiful thing that simply hadn't worked out. How dare Tween Weekly accuse them of that! Connie simply read the paper, pretending she hadn't heard anything because she would be unable to comfort her daughter. No one was capable of comforting Sonny when it came to Chad.

"We caught up with Chad on the set of Mackenzie Falls and asked him how he's coping with his split and what we should expect from the new season of Mackenzie Falls," Jennifer explained excitedly and before Sonny had time to turn the channel, she came face to face with the expressive sapphire eyes she missed. No one could accuse Chad of slacking off when it came to his career. When he spoke of his career, his eyes had the same sparkle they used to have when he looked into Sonny's eyes.

"Mackenzie Falls has always produced high quality drama," Chad explained, with the arrogance he had adopted full-time since their relationship ended. "And this season is absolutely no exception. Your viewers can be assured that Chad Dylan Cooper will do everything to ensure that Mackenzie Falls remains a top quality show with lovable characters, beautiful people, nail biting tension and addictive drama."

"Should we expect to see you channeling some of your real life experiences into the life of Mackenzie?"

"I have always channeled my real life triumphs and heartaches when it comes to the character of Mackenzie and I can assure you as an actor considered one of the best of my generation that that will not change," Chad said, using the voice Sonny recognised as his stage voice. It was a voice he used when he was hiding his feelings, but injecting rage into his passionate words and loud pitch.

"Speaking of heartache, how are you coping with your heartbreaking split from Sonny Munroe? Have you talked? How does it feel to be a lusted after bachelor in Hollywood?" Sonny didn't mean to, but she leaned in closer to the TV, as if her invisible presence would influence him. She knew what he could possibly say and it disturbed her when her heart raced and she realised she didn't want him to be completely fine.

"You know what Jennifer? I am putting T.I. and Rihanna to shame," Chad remarked, but his voice had lost the same pitch and confidence he had showed before. Were those questions uncomfortable for him? Her eyes were glued to the screen and she was convinced nothing would have pulled her away. "I am living my life and that is all I have ever done. You have to take each day as it comes-"

"Okay, enough," Connie insisted, switching the TV off. Sonny was glad she had intervened, but at the same time she was disappointed to be parted from his eyes once again.

"We can go out for dinner tonight if you want to and then I might even take you out for a couple of alcoholic drinks," Connie smiled, emphasising on the word 'alcoholic'. God, Sonny didn't even realise that she could drink legally, because she could have slaughtered a stiff drink before being dropped off at work that day.

"I don't know, I think the Randoms might want to take me out," Sonny shrugged her shoulders as they drove to Condor Studios. She was trying to convince herself that it was the case, because if she did go out with her mother she knew it was going to end with her crying over the bathroom sink. "Thanks for the offer though mom."

"Ten years ago you would have jumped at the chance of spending your birthday with mommy dearest," Connie giggled, but Sonny knew she was growing nostalgic. Her daughter was now an adult. Wow, Sonny Munroe was now considered an adult. The thought of it made her want to throw up, because she didn't feel like she had taken full advantage of being a teenager. Now she was responsible for all of her mistakes and she couldn't simply blame it on being a naive teenager. "Promise me you'll cheer up today."

"I'll be fine," she insisted, but she was mostly demanding it upon herself. "It was because I was tired and because I remembered the plans we'd made. It's nothing. Please don't worry for me."

"You're one of the best girls a mother could ask for and I want you to remember that, okay?" Her mother said when the car stopped. Connie was one of the best mothers a girl could ask for and that was what Sonny would think of today. She smiled and kissed her mother's cheek. "Have a great day."

"Thanks for bringing me into the world," she giggled, stepping out of the car and into the cold morning air. Connie rolled her eyes and then drove off.

Sonny waved and then she made her way into the building with a heavy feeling in her chest. It happened everyday, and it was because she couldn't escape Chad, even if she wanted to because he worked in the same studio and there was every chance she would see him today. It had been the same everyday since they broke up, and everyday she left having not seen him at the end of the day. She thought she might have run into him once accidentally, but the two of them were excellent at avoiding each other. It was a dance she thought she and Chad would never have to participate in. For years they had done everything possible to ensure that they seen each other everyday, if even for a few minutes. It was like withdrawing from drugs cold turkey; it left her with a nauseous feeling everyday. She didn't want to see him necessarily, but she supposed she missed the routine. She didn't know if she was ready to see him today, but she supposed she needed something pretty to look at on her birthday. Oh God, she hoped the Randoms cheered her up. She missed feeling happy.

Sonny made it to the Prop House without running into her ex and she was thrilled. It was strange calling him her ex-boyfriend. It didn't feel like a title that should belong to him. The Randoms were all in there and when Sonny walked in she expected them to be beaming and welcoming. She expected them to bellow 'Happy Birthday!' She expected them to crowd around her and offer her a birthday hug, a tradition they had all adopted from Grady. It would have made her day and she thought about it as she walked in and...saw that they didn't even look up from where they were sitting.

"Morning guys," she smiled, hanging her jacket on the coat rack. They all replied with a dreary acknowledgement and then went back to what they were doing. Okay, she wasn't going to allow herself to worry now. It was early in the morning and surely it had just slipped their minds for just a few seconds. Yeah, that was all it was. Sonny sat down beside Tawni on the sofa and waited patiently for them to realise that it was her birthday. "So Tawni, how are you this morning?"

"Well Sonny I am so stressed this morning," she replied, shaking her head. Sonny waited for her to look up and at least ask if it was her birthday. Then again, it was Tawni Hart and the girl had a habit of forgetting special events that didn't involve her. "I'm compiling another list of guys you've to dump for me and can I just say; you are in for an emotional morning."

"That's what I'm here for," she replied, smiling, waiting. She received nothing from Tawni, so she turned to Nico and Grady who were munching on their usual bacon sandwiches. They were eating; that had to be why they had completely forgotten to wish her a happy birthday. "Nico, Grady, having a good morning?"

"Sonny, I badly need our special talk time today," Grady told her, tears welling up in his eyes. She hoped that it was because he felt so ridiculous forgetting to wish her a happy birthday. "I feel like it's all too much; I feel like my life has so much meaning that it's losing meaning, you know?"

"Well you know I'm always available to talk," Sonny replied, but why wasn't he offering to consolidate her over her split from Chad Dylan Cooper? She didn't want to admit it because she had promised she would only think positive, but she was beginning to think that they had forgotten it was her birthday. They couldn't have though, because she had been with them for six years. "What about you Nico?"

"Aw Sonny I badly need your help with hooking me up today," he replied, sighing heavily. Did he mean he needed her help hooking him up with a good party planner or something? Because she was seriously starting to think that her supposed special day had slipped all their minds.

"I've never turned you down before," she replied and then she looked at Zora who was playing with Gassie. "So, you think it's a good day ahead Zora?"

"You HAVE to help me write a good essay so that I'll get into Harvard, Princeton or Yale," she said breathlessly, shaking her head. She clung onto Sonny desperately with those crazy eyes of hers. Okay, Sonny was done trying to wonder why her friends just weren't mentioning the fact that it was her twenty-first birthday. Sure, it wasn't the biggest landmark, because Tawni had already turned twenty-one just a few months before and Nico was due to hit the same age in a few weeks, but it was still her birthday. They had all made fake IDs and went with Tawni on a massive club crawl all over Hollywood leaving them with headaches that felt like their brains were breaking. Why didn't anyone care about Sonny?

"Well that sounds like a lot of fun," Sonny replied and she was sick of this. Were they pretending that they had forgotten? Were they waiting on her to lose her temper or something? Because she was about to. They had always remembered her birthday before and it had already been a terrible morning. She was hoping that her friends would have the decency to make her life a little easier considering it was her birthday. "Hey guys, are you forgetting something?" She wasn't going to hint that she was aware of what they were pretending to hide, but she felt she had to because she was not in the mood for jokes.

"I don't think so," Tawni replied, shrugging her shoulders, but then she gasped and covered her mouth. "Wait! No, it's cool; I did bring my lip gloss today. You got me all worked up there Sonny."

"I don't think I'm forgetting anything," Grady said, and then he nodded his head as if realising something. "Wait, you just reminded me of another problem we have to talk about today."

"You don't think that today's a special day?" Sonny asked, feeling ridiculous that she had to go to these lengths to remind her friends of what day it was. "You don't think it's someone's special day?"

"Everyday we spend together is our special talk day Sonny," Grady winked at her and she was forced to wink back even though she felt her eyes welling up with tears. It couldn't be true; they couldn't have forgotten that it was her birthday. It just wasn't possible.

"A year ago today I found the perfect shade of blonde!" Tawni exclaimed. "That's a special day!"

Oh God, they really had forgotten that it was her birthday. Sonny didn't know what to think, probably because her thoughts were clouded with tears. She looked around, just waiting for them to turn around and laugh at her for even thinking they had forgotten it was her special day. Nothing happened. They continued to go about their normal business without even looking at her. Sonny thought that the Randoms would make her feel a lot better about everything that was happening to her. She tried to stop herself from tearing up, but Tawni noticed and stopped re-applying her make-up. Finally, she had realised her friend was upset and that they shouldn't play such cruel jokes on her.

"Oh God, you're not still crying about ending things with Chad Dylan Cooper, are you?" She asked, rolling her eyes. She probably didn't mean for it to sound as hurtful as it did, but it didn't help that when she said it, Sonny saw a CD of Chad's sitting on the table. She would have to gather his things together and take part in the traditional ritual of returning the other's things.

"No, I'm fine, seriously," Sonny insisted when the other Randoms looked up at her and rolled their eyes. Since she and Chad had broken up they hadn't really understood how she felt, but she didn't expect them to snap at her like this. She knew that they wouldn't exactly comfort her because they were actually a little relieved, but she thought they might at least consider her feelings. A part of her wished she had attempted to bring them together more, because then maybe she wouldn't have been brought to tears on her birthday.

Sonny decided that she would see Chad that day. She didn't know why, but as she collected his things and put them in a cardboard box, she felt her stomach growl with excitement at the prospect of seeing him. It had been a month since she laid eyes on his golden blonde hair and his ocean blue eyes. When she realised what she was feeling, she tried to shake it off and told the Randoms that she would be back in a few moments.

As she stood outside the Mackenzie Falls set, she considered turning back and having one of the Randoms give Chad his stuff back. Sonny did want to see him, but she knew that she would be overwhelmed with feelings she wanted to push aside. She had been trying to ignore the fact that a part of her regretted ending the relationship and seeing him would only reignite what she was desperate to hide. She didn't know how he would feel either and even though everyone was acting like it was a normal day, Sonny really wasn't in the mood to have an argument with her ex-boyfriend on her birthday.

Chad was in the middle of making Mackenzie Falls 'magic' when Sonny walked onto the set. She didn't know if there were rules on whether she was even allowed to enter the premises anymore, but she had been waltzing onto the set without permission for so long. She stood next to the director of the show and watched as Chad pretended to be in love with Portlyn. As much as she hated his arrogance, she couldn't deny that Chad Dylan Cooper was dedicated to his craft. It was obvious when she watched him on-screen; when she watched him, she could see the intensity on his face. It was one of the things she loved about him.

When Chad saw her standing there, he asked for a time-out and Sonny automatically felt guilty for breaking up his day. He led her over to a secluded area of the set; it felt strange when she felt his hand brush against his arm. She felt like she had been shocked. They stood looking at each other for a couple of minutes, as if adjusting to the fact that they had to look at the other in a different light. They had been looking at each other in a different manner and had forgotten what it was to see the other as nothing more than an acquaintance.

"Okay Munroe, what do you want?" He asked her, and she had to admit that she was surprised by his attitude. He sounded exactly the way he used to, before they became what they used to be, before they even became good friends if she was honest. Sonny didn't want to admit that it made her heart race and she also didn't want to admit that she was a little hurt by his tone.

"This is some stuff you left at the Prop House and I thought I should bring them back," she told him, expecting him to soften a little when reflecting back on the times he had been over there, but his expression didn't change. He seemed impatient and barely looked in the box when she handed his belongings to him.

"Really Sonny, really?" He asked her, rolling his eyes. "I was in the middle of creating Mackenzie Falls magic and you decide to bring me my stuff now?"

"I thought it would be best to get it over and done with," she shrugged her shoulders. She might have told him that she was eager to see a friendly face had he been a little more patient with her, but she felt like she was something he had to brush aside. She used to always feel like she meant nothing to him during the weeks they denied their feelings towards one another. "I'm sorry-"

"Sonny I have a very busy day today," he snapped, shaking his head while answering a text message. "I expected a call from you at least considering we're no longer...you know."

"I didn't expect to come over today, but I saw a CD of yours and thought I would bring it all over," she told him. Well, she knew that she certainly wasn't receiving a birthday wish from him considering the warm welcome she had received when she thought she was doing a considerate thing. She wanted to think that perhaps he was lashing out irrationally because it was awkward, but this was so like him. He had always been this selfish and this sharp; what did she see in him?

"I would have sent someone over to Chuckle City you know," he told her, crossing his arms. "That's another thing; we will have to talk about you barging on set here like you're entitled to it or something." Sonny shouldn't have ben surprised, not when it came to Chad, but when she said it, she felt like someone had tossed her heart inside a blender. He really didn't care any longer.

"Look I know the whole thing's awkward because we're no longer...you know, but I can promise that I won't come barging onto your set again," she assured him, shaking her head. She had to avoid his blue eyes, because she was about to be lost in them again and now was not the time. So not only had the Randoms ruined her birthday, but her ex-boyfriend was making sure she wasn't having a good day. "I don't see why you're so pissed, because you know you would've hated it if I hadn't brought it over sooner."

"See this is so you Sonny," he snapped, getting really angry now. They were beginning to make a scene and she could even see the director of the Falls making notes in the background. Apparently Chad was the greatest actor when he wasn't acting. "You just barge onto people's sets and ruin their lives –"

"I just came to –"

"It's always a last minute thing with you too," he shook his head, his floppy blonde hair moving from side to side. This was a side of him she hoped she would never have to see; it was as if he had evolved into something worse than what he was before they were together. "You just hit people with stuff they weren't aware of at the last minute and then you expect them to be just fine with the decision you've made."

"But it's your stuff and I know you like a lot of it," Sonny protested, and then the realisation hit her. She looked at her disgruntled ex-boyfriend and she felt something dark and heavy lingering over her. She felt her heart racing and suddenly it seemed like they were the only two people in the world. Chad sighed and just looked away from her, his hands in his pockets. "You're talking about me returning your stuff, right? This isn't about –"

"You know what? Thanks for my stuff," he interrupted, throwing the box to the side. So that was how he regarded their relationship? Something to be thrown aside so that he could continue on with his life without anymore interruptions. She was sorry she had bothered on a day like this. "Now I am in the middle of being the greatest actor of my generation and I would appreciate it if you got off the set."

"Consider me gone," Sonny said softly, and then she turned her back on him. Why didn't he call her back? Why didn't he apologize for how he just acted? Why didn't he assure her that his behaviour was nothing but a defence mechanism? She knew why; he was Chad Dylan Cooper. He had always been guarded with his feelings; it was one of the things that tore them apart. "For good."

TO BE CONTINUED…

**Author's Note: If you liked this story, then the 19****th**** chapter of the story on my joint account – klcchavez – has just been posted. If you like angst, drama and romance then please give it a read =]**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Okay, here's the 2nd and final part of my little twoshot here. Thanks for the reviews and all the love :). I didn't realise that the break up between Chad and Sonny could actually induce tears, but I'm so flattered that you think my writing is that emotional. Thank you and please enjoy :)**

Sonny's birthday seemed to have been forgotten all over Condor Studios. When Marshall came, he made sure that they practice the sketch where Sonny had to pretend she was a dog. She hated that scene and made it perfectly obvious when her behaviour started to match that of a dog's. Why was he making her practice it on her birthday? It was like that with every scene though, they seemed to be rehearsing the ones she hated the most and they didn't even notice when she skulked off to the bathroom and allowed herself to burst into tears for a few minutes. Not one of them even asked how she was and it was pretty damn obvious she wasn't feeling her usual perky self.

Lucy didn't even call her or send her a birthday text, something that used to be a ritual of theirs considering their close relationship had been spread out a few thousand miles. When she first realised that the Randoms AND the former love of her life had forgotten her birthday she wished for nothing more than a visit from her best friend. Apparently Lucy had also forgotten; the day was worse than Groundhog Day. Her friends and the person she considered her soulmate once didn't even remember that she was twentty-one. She was so stupid to think that she actually meant anything to any of them. It was pretty obvious that she was only a ruse to get more ratings and nothing more.

At lunch she didn't even get a special birthday cake like Tawni did. She didn't get special food like Tawni did and the cooking staff didn't sing her happy birthday like they did with Tawni. Tawni didn't even appreciate it and Sonny remembered saying that she would appreciate it. Instead she got to eat chewy macaroni that tasted like glue. What a magical day indeed. She couldn't wait to go home and have that stiff drink.

"You know Sonny, you're really disturbing my aura today," Tawni remarked, as Sonny scanned Tween Weekly after reading a headline indicating that Chad might have moved onto another woman already.

Surely he hadn't met someone else only a month after they ended their relationship. Surely he had enough respect for her to spare her the embarrassment and heartbreak of watching him jump into another romance. They suspected he was seeing Katherine Mason; one of the newest supermodels and a woman that 'coincidentally' attracted superstars such as Chad Dylan Cooper. They had been photographed having dinner and Katherine had been photographed outside his home once. It made Sonny's heart and mind experience conflicting thoughts; jealousy was constantly overtook by the logic that she ended their relationship. She should be happy for him. Yes, she definitely should have accepted it.

"Are you listening to me?" Tawni's shrill voice forced Sonny to look up, forcing her frenemy to frown at the shadows under her eyes and the tears she was trying to hide. "Sonny, I know that Chad meant a lot to you. Hell, the whole world did, but I think you have to come to terms with the fact that it's over."

"I have come to terms with the fact that it's over," Sonny lied. It was the easiest answer, and Tawni was in the kind of mood where she didn't care to divulge into a deep conversation about exactly what was bothering Sonny. Once, they had been able to examine each other's complicated minds, but recently Sonny had been withdrawn. She didn't want to let anyone in now. It didn't matter anyway; apparently nothing regarding Sonny Munroe didn't matter. Her birthday didn't matter and the fact that her heart was breaking with every passing moment didn't matter. Sometimes she wondered why she cared, but all she had to do was look in the mirror; it was who she was.

Sonny supposed she had to be grateful that the day was progressing like a normal one. Taking away the whole forgetting her birthday thing it wasn't the worst day in the world, so she kept telling herself anyway. Nico and Grady had been funny, Tawni had been lovingly self centred and she got to unleash her brainy side when helping Zora with that essay of hers. She guessed that if they had to forget her birthday then she was glad that they'd forgotten it on a day like this.

Sonny was just finishing breaking up with the last of Tawni's scorned dates when the rest of the Randoms walked in after rehearsing a sketch without her. She was glad that she'd gone about the day as if it were a normal one, because at least then she could forget about Chad as best she could. It was strange how just a year before they'd been so in love and now he couldn't bear to have her in the same room as him. She would never forget the way he looked at her that day. It would be the medicine she took when she got over the mourning period and started meeting people again. He looked at her like she was a piece of dirt or some kind of lowly insect. He considered her attempts to get past the awkwardness of their break up an inconvenience. Did he already regret the years they had spent together? Why did he seem so upset with her last minute decision to visit him that day? She could ask herself these questions for hours she supposed, but she wouldn't receive the answer she wanted. She wanted to believe that he was hurting, but in reality he was Chad Dylan Cooper and he already considered her just another number.

"Sonny, can we talk to you for a second?" Tawni asked, and the way the rest of them stood beside her made Sonny think that they had finally remembered her birthday. Even she had forgotten it for a few minutes because she was thinking of Chad so much.

"Sure, what's up?" She asked, trying to be casual, but she was relieved that her friends were finally being considerate. It had been such a horrible day.

"It's about you and Chad," Zora began and they said the word like it was a bomb they were afraid would explode at any second. How she missed it when people talked about her and Chad like they were a couple. She missed his name joined with hers. She wished that he missed her name joined with his.

"Okay, what about me and Chad?" Sonny asked them, trying to smile casually, but just saying 'me and Chad' like she had for five years was like her heart being thrown into a blender. "Oh my God, has he said something to you? I specifically asked that he kept you out of it and I'm so sorry if he –"

"You should be sorry!" Tawni snapped. Okay, she was a little surprised at Tawni's tone of voice there. It was her birthday; did they have to snap like that? What worried Sonny the most was when the rest of the Randoms didn't bother to tell Tawni off. "I am so sick of hearing about you two breaking up! It's like the whole world has forgotten that Condor Studios revolves around me!"

"The paparazzi only want to ask me about how the two of you are coping!" Grady snapped, stomping his foot. "I already feel like I'm the least appreciated in the studio! It doesn't make me feel any better Sonny!"

"I can't get any hot girls because they all wanna be comforting Chad Dylan Cooper!" Nico moaned.

"I don't have time for everyone to be caring about you two breaking up!" Zora fumed, "I am trying to get into college and all everyone wants to know is whether Chad and Sonny will remain friends!"

"We know that the split hasn't been easy on you, but you're being so selfish!" Tawni snapped. Sonny couldn't believe that she was being lectured about being selfish from the Queen of Selfishness. She tried to maintain her temper, because she didn't want to get yelled at on her birthday.

Sonny felt like she was being attacked by a pack of lions as she sat on the sofa and listened to all the reasons why she was annoying everyone. She didn't think that her split with Chad Dylan Cooper would aggrivate them so much but they had at least ten reasons each why the break up bothered them. So that was why they didn't care how she was; because she was inconveniencing their lives. They talked to her like she had chosen to break up with Chad and they told her again and again how stupid she had been to date him in the first place. At first she was perfectly willing to be rational and talk it over with each and every one of them. But then their reasons grew crueller and she was convinced that they really didn't know it was her birthday.

"Okay that's enough!" She finally snapped, unwilling to hear anymore reasons citing why she and Chad Dylan Cooper should have never been together in the first place. It was as if they had taken her heart from the blender and were proceeding to break it into further pieces. They stopped and just looked at her like she was so inconsiderate to interrupt them. "I'm so sorry that the end of my relationship has been such an inconvenience to everyone!"

That was when Sonny couldn't take it any longer. She got up from the sofa and brushed past her co-stard with as much consideration as they'd just showed her. She grabbed her jacket and purse, promising herself that she wouldn't cry until she had left the building. She texted her mother to come and get her immediately. It was only five minutes until the day officially ended so it wasn't like she was walking out.

"I'm going home so just tell Marshall I got sick and left early," she told them, before turning her back on them and walking out with her head held high. It felt like her head weighed a tonne as she attempted to be the better person, but she would be damned if they saw her cry. Her mother was different; her mother was the only one who even remembered it was her birthday.

"I'm guessing someone's had a bad day," Connie sighed when Sonny got into the car with her mascara running down her cheeks and her lips trembling. She couldn't speak for a few minutes because when she did she kept bursting into sobs.

"They forgot it was my birthday," was all she could say before bursting into tears. She slipped on her sunglasses and wiped away her tears. She wanted the sunglasses to represent a barrier; a barrier she was unsure she would ever let down again.

"You're kidding me!" Connie gasped and Sonny simply nodded her head. "The Randoms forgot? Chad forgot?"

"Yep."

"I oughta go back in there right now and tell them what day it is," her mother fumed, her hands gripping the steering wheel dangerously tight. Sonny managed to smile; why was it that her mother could always bring a smile to her face even on the days when no one seemed to smile? For one minute it cast her mind away from the devastating split and agonising alienation she felt. "I can't believe that! I'm so annoyed! It's not like this is just any birthday either! It's your twenty-first! We're going back!"

"No! We're going home and that's where we're going to stay!" Sonny protested. She didn't want to go back to Condor Studios for a long time...or at least until the next day when it wasn't her birthday and their behaviour wouldn't be as heartbreaking. Also, she didn't think she could spend another minute in the building where Chad could easily show her once again just how replaceable she was in his life. For years Sonny Munroe had considered herself the hero of the story; she didn't need to be saved. She shouldn't have been the victim. She hadn't seen this coming at all.

"I thought we could go out or something," her mom smiled encouragingly, but that was the last thing Sonny wanted to do. If they went to a bar, she would be surrounded by drunken men and women demanding to know how she was coping with her split from Chad. If they went out for a meal, the patrons and the paparazzi would be desperate to know how she was spending her birthday all alone. No, she would settle for a drink at home and a Chinese takeaway with the company of her favourite show and her mom.

"I'm really not in the mood, is that okay?" She asked. God, why was it that Sonny wanted to please everyone except herself? Connie looked at her with a worried expression on her face. She had every right to, considering any other girl turning twenty-one would have the urge to go out and get absolutely wasted.

"Okay, we'll just go home, order takeout and watch TV until you're feeling better, okay?" She smiled, putting her arm around her daughter and kissing her on the forehead. "If it means anything, I'm thrilled about your birthday. You know, I'll bet your daddy planned it this way so that we spend the day together."

"I'll bet he did," Sonny laughed. That was the last thing she needed; being reminded that her dad wasn't alive to see her turn twenty-one. When she was younger, he would always tell her about all the things he wanted to see her accomplish. Sometimes he'd tell her that he didn't know whether he would be alive to see her marry and she would always tell him he was insane. Turns out he was right.

It wasn't so bad spending your birthday watching old movies and eating pizza with your mother. Sonny actually found herself laughing for a change. She and her mother sat in their sweats and talked about everything she would have talked to her friends about had they even bothered to remember what day it was. It had been so long since she had a good talk about everything in her head. Her head had felt so mixed up for months and she really didn't know how to feel any longer. She told her mother everything from the Randoms forgetting her birthday to her frosty reception with Chad. She was amazed at how her mom sat there and listened to every word and handing her a tissue when she needed it.

Sonny was disappointed when she heard her cell phone ringing and she felt her heart almost break when she saw that it was Marshall calling her. She had only left five minutes earlier; surely she wasn't in trouble for leaving five minutes earlier. Hadn't Marshall ever had everyone forget his birthday and the fact that his heart was broken all in the one day?

"Hey kiddo I'm gonna need you back in the studio as soon as possible," he told her, without even asking why she had left earlier and whether she was even okay. Sonny shouldn't have been surprised, but she was. That was what she got for always seeing the good in people. "We're practicing a sketch late and we need you here to complete it."

"Look Marshall I'm not feeling very well," she told him and it wasn't really a lie. Physically she was fine, but emotionally she was falling apart. "I don't think I can come today."

"But Tawni's not happy Sonny and you know what I get when she isn't happy," he hissed. Ah yes, who cares what Sonny wants when Tawni isn't happy? It was the story of her professional life. She might have given in on any other day, but not today.

"But Marshall it's my birth-"

"Please don't make me take disciplinary action kid," he sighed and she felt herself begin to tremble. He wasn't seriously threatening her with that much trouble just for this, was he? When he didn't say anything, Sonny had to assume that she had no choice in the matter. Of course she didn't, because Tawni Hart was unhappy and everyone was expected to bow down to Tawni.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

Apparently Marshall didn't give a damn that her heart had been broken by the infamous Chad Dylan Cooper. It was the story of her life that day; why was she surprised?

"Are they seriously asking you to go in right now?" Connie demanded and Sonny was forced to shake her head. She hated seeing her mom upset, but she was actually a little relieved to know one person who gave a dan about how she felt on her birthday. "You don't have to go. I will seriously have a word."

"No, let's just go and get this lousy day over with," she shrugged her shoulders. By this point Sonny didn't even care about anything. It was late so that meant her birthday would be done in a few short hours and Chad would have definitely left the building by now. All she had to do was endure some more time with the most selfish people she had ever worked with. It wasn't so bad.

Sonny dressed herself in her favourite skirt and blouse in order to make herself feel better. Whoever said that dressing like a star made you feel like one was incredibly shallow, but also incredibly right. She actually felt better as she applied some make-up. When she walked out of her bedroom, Connie shook her head and grabbed her car keys, promising that she would be right outside if anything went wrong.

"I'm going to talk to Marshall about your work and how you've been getting on," she said in the car, but Sonny knew she was pretending so that she could be there to ensure that her daughter wasn't verbally attacked like she was before. "I'll try not to rip his head off."

"I would really appreciate if you didn't," she giggled, unable to believe she had managed another smile. When they pulled up outside Condor Studios, Sonny sighed and felt herself stuck to the car. She didn't want to leave and it took a lot of coaxing from her mind to force her out of the car. Connie waited outside and took her arm as they walked inside.

Sonny hadn't been inside the studio after hours for a long time, but she didn't realise that they put out every light down to the hallway lights. She and her mother had to hold each other to ensure that they didn't end up in the hospital for the night. That would have been the classic end to her birthday; ending up in the hospital for something that wasn't caused by alcohol on her twenty-first birthday.

"I think you're in here," her mother said rather loudly, pushing open the stage door and leading her daughter in by the arm. Oh God, here I go, thought Sonny as she forced herself to enter the room.

"SURPRISE!"

At first Sonny thought she was dreaming when suddenly the lights darted on and people started applauding and cheering when she entered the room. She thought she was dreaming when she saw the Randoms standing up front cheering for her with party poppers and party hats on their heads. She thought she was dreaming when she saw Marshall and Mr Condor sipping on some champagne and applauding as she entered the stage. She thought she was dreaming when she saw a room full of her biggest fans. She thought she was dreaming when she saw the various banners with her pictures on it declaring; 'HAPPY 21ST SONNY!' She thought she was dreaming when baby photos of her were decorated all over the walls. She thought she was dreaming when she saw the massive table filled with presents and the cake decorated with a picture of her when she was a baby.

"Shut up! Is this for real?" She gasped. Yes, that was exactly the way to greet the guests of your birthday party. She looked to her mother who was smiling and clapping. No way, she couldn't believe she had been duped into thinking that everyone had forgotten her birthday. She was still standing there frozen when she saw her best friend Lucy walk up to her and wrap her arms around her.

"I told you I would come see you on your twenty-first!" She exclaimed excitedly and that was when Sonny broke down. At least this time it was tears of happiness. She clung onto Lucy, feeling as if she had just woken up from a terrible nightmare. She was the first one to take a glass of champagne when the man passed her. Yeah, she definitely needed a drink after that surprise. She was still waiting for her heart to start beating again.

"You actually remembered?" Sonny asked when the Randoms surrounded her and she tried not to sound surprised. Chad was so wrong about So Random, by God they could act. She finished her first champagne glass within seconds, realised she hated it, but that didn't stop her from taking another glass.

"I am capable of thinking about other people you know," Tawni rolled her eyes, enjoying another glass of champagne. And then something strange happened; she and Tawni actually embraced each other with nothing but love. Yeah, she took back everything she said before. Sonny then took turns hugging the rest of the Randoms and trying not to cry.

"You really had me convinced you had forgotten my birthday," she told them, nodding her head proudly. "Chad was so wrong about you guys. You can act, trust me, I can vouch for you to anyone." She was surprised when they all chuckled a little. It was as if they were all in on a joke she wasn't aware of. "What?"

"You know that we didn't actually mean anything we said about your break up, right?" Grady asked her. She had attempted to block it out. She didn't want to have to admit that even though it probably was a joke, she was still a little sore from what they had said to her. "We had to make sure you were extra surprised and if we were really mean to you, you would definitely not see this coming."

"Mission accomplished," Sonny smiled, drinking another glass of champagne.

It was an automatic thing when Sonny turned to see if her ex-boyfriend had perhaps attended her surprise birthday. She wanted to think that his bitter attitude and lack of time for her that day was all part of the act. She had never doubted Chad's acting ability for a secon, but when she realised that he wasn't in the room with the rest of her friends she realised that she might have gotten fiction mixed up with reality. Of course she didn't frown and when she looked at the Randoms and Lucy standing by her, she forced herself to smile. She forced herself to smile even when she realised the thing she supposed she had been denying all along: she had made a terrible mistake the day she broke up with Chad Dylan Cooper. She was still in love with him and she didn't think she could stand another minute without him.

"Sonny, you know that we're here for you, right?" Lucy assured her friend when she recognised the vacant expression in Sonny's eyes. "I know you've been having a tough time lately, but just so you know; I'm always here if you need to talk." Sonny simply nodded her head, unable to speak due to the lump that had risen in her throat. She was so grateful when Grady and Nico started their short-lived careers as disco dancers, but it didn't fully rid her of the terrible feeling lurking in her stomach. She didn't know how she would cope the next day when it wasn't her birthday. She couldn't be upset with Chad for ignoring her because he had every right to ignore her now and there was nothing she could do about it. The thought chilled her to the core and she did everything she could to block it out that night.

"I can't believe you were in on it," Sonny nudged her mom playfully, shaking her head. "I cried for hours today about everyone forgetting my birthday and you knew all along."

"Trust me it was the worst secret I've ever had to keep from you," Connie assured her, wrapping her arms around her. "But wasn't it worth it? Don't you feel a whole lot better now?"

"I'm really surprised that the Randoms would even set this up," Sonny confessed, unable to believe she'd had so little faith in her castmates and best friends. She didn't realise how blessed she was and when she looked around the room at the people who loved her, she knew she'd made the right decision leaving Wisconsin that day six years ago. She would never look back again.

"Sonny, it wasn't –"

"Hi everyone," Tawni said, standing onstage clinking her glass with a spoon. Oh lord, was she actually about to say a speech about Sonny? Wow, she was really thinking outside the box today. Sonny was consumed with embarrassment and modesty when everyone turned to listen. "As you know, my name is Tawni Hart and today is Sonny Munroe's twenty-first birthday. Yeah, Sonny Munroe has been taking my spotlight for six years now. I think she'll agree that it's definitely been an interesting six years and I know she'll agree that it has been really hard getting along with me. Well Sonny I just wanted you to know that tonight is all about you and I will definitely...try not to talk about myself for the rest of the night because it's your birthday! I've also been asked by the rest of my colleagues to remind you how great you are – their words, not completely mine. We all know I've helped you in some ways, right? Anyway, just in case you're not aware of it, you've been one of the greatest additions to our show since Gassie the dog and we don't think we tell you that enough, so there you go."

"Aw you guys you'll make me cry!" Sonny protested, shielding her face away from everyone. It was hard to believe that Tawni could be so nice to anyone. The spotlight then went to Grady.

"Sonny, tomorrow I'm giving you YOUR special talk time," he told her, patting her back. Before she could say anything, the spotlight went to Nico.

"I'll help you get hooked up girl."

And then it went to Zora. "You know you can always count on me for whatever crazy guilty need you have."

And then the spotlight returned to Tawni who looked like she had been missing it. Who was Sonny kidding? Tawni belonged under that spotlight and she always had.

"And Sonny I'll break up with whatever guys you don't think you deserve," she said and then she walked down off the stage and over to Sonny. Oh no, she knew exactly what was coming next. Before she knew it the microphone had been thrust into her hand and thousands of people were looking at her and waiting. She thought that she might have seen Chad, but she didn't. Why did it disappoint her so much?

"Wow is really the only thing I can say," she said breathlessly into the mic, prompting a laugh from everyone. "I've seriously never been so surprised in my life, aside from the time I was told I got the job on So Random of course. I just want to thank everyone who put this thing together, wow, I seriously had no idea. I've had a blast working on this show and this party's really proven to me that I definitely made the right decision when I came here. Thanks so much and please have a good time. That's an order!"

When people had stopped applauding her and she had stopped making small talk with everyone at the party – a task she should never have taken on in heels – she was able to stand and talk with the Randoms and Lucy. She still didn't know what to say to them and she still felt the need to burst into tears when she thought about everything they had said to her and about her that night. It was strange though, she didn't feel complete just yet. She felt like something was missing and as much as she pretended she didn't know what, she knew that it was him. She hadn't felt complete since he left.

"Seriously, I'm so grateful to you guys for putting this together," she told the Randoms, smiling widely. If she smiled any wider then she might have broken her jaw. And then they did that weird thing again where they chuckled and shook their heads.

"Time to tell the truth guys?" Nico asked the group and they all nodded their heads reluctantly. Lucy looked like she was about to see the important denoument at the end of a movie she loved so much.

"Tell the truth?" Tawni asked, and Nico merely rolled his eyes. "But I didn't realise I could also get a high from making it look like I organised someone else's birthday. Do we have to tell the truth when everyone's happy this way?"

"Yes!" Nico snapped and if Sonny wasn't paying such close attention to their words, she would have paid attention to the tone of voice they had been addressing each other a lot with recently.

"What are you talking about?" She asked them, confused. If this was another 'pretend we don't care about Sonny's birthday' was it alright for her to refuse it immediately? She was convinced that her emotional sanity had only been restored a few minutes ago.

"We were asked to take credit for this whole shebang," Zora nodded.

"And trust me, I wanted to," Tawni added, nodding her head.

"But it wasn't us," Grady shook his head.

"Then who was it?" Sonny asked them curiously and they all looked at her like she was crazy. It took her a few minutes, but when she realised who they were talking about she almost choked on her drink.

"It was Chad," Tawni replied, putting her hand on Sonny's shoulder as she almost choked to death. How could he have been responsible for this? He could barely stand to look at her that day and there was something oddly authentic about his performance.

"Chad did this?" Sonny asked and they nodded. "But why?"

"Trying to figure out Chad's logic would be too much thinking about someone else for me," Tawni remarked and Sonny couldn't help but agree. Why did he do it? She couldn't think of a reason why considering his behaviour earlier that day certainly didn't suggest it. Why would he do something like that for his ex-girlfriend? Of course she wanted to entertain the prospect that he might love her, but that was foolish. She couldn't deny that his behaviour before had some element of truth to it. Did he organise this out of guilt? Had he organised it before their break up? No, that was silly because he had promised to take her to Vegas.

"I think he has the same issue you do," Lucy said and Sonny didn't know if that meant his heart was still with her just like hers was still with him. It was too perfect and she had learned a long time ago that love was not perfect. Their relationship had been destroyed by a quest for constant perfection and it had crumbled around them, unleashing their worst qualities in the process. Did she really want to go back to it? Did he really want to go back to it? Was their romance not doomed from the very beginning? She had to talk to him immediately. He had to be in the building ensuring that his plan had been executed perfectly. Sonny had to speak to him now before the cloud of doubt returned over her head and forced her to remain silent forever. Where was he?

And then she realised it; she knew exactly where he was.

Sonny found Chad sitting in his dressing room with a magazine in his hands. It was strange; everything important in their young lives had happened in this dressing room. She remembered storming up to him and demanding to have her addiction to The Falls fed. She remembered miguiding him and making him think that she wanted him to ask her out. Perhaps that was what she always wanted. Yeah, it had to be. Sonny smiled when she remembered how awkward it had been when it took her a little longer to realise that she was desperate for him to ask her out. She hadn't ever told him how happy she was walking away knowing they had a date.

"It was you?" She asked, forcing him to look up. Sonny knew exactly what she wanted when the mere sight of Chad took her breath away just like it used to. She had been so stupid before, but did he realise it?

"Munroe, what do you want?" Chad demanded, looking away from her. Why was it that he looked handsome even when he couldn't meet her in the eye? Something was definitely wrong, because Chad was known for bragging when he really shouldn't have been, let alone when he was responsible for something. Why wasn't he taking the credit that was rightfully his? Did he even care about what he had done?

"I didn't realise that you still cared," she remarked, trying to keep the awkwardness away, but it was creeping its way through the holes in her speech and his silence. "I guess I wanted to say thank you."

"Who told you it was me?" He asked her and he sounded mad. Okay, this was not what she was expecting, but then again what had she been expecting? Had she expected him to lift her into his arms and assure her that everything would be alright? Couldn't she distinguish reality from fiction yet? "It was the Randoms, wasn't it? Well Sonny, sorry to burst your little bubble, but they're putting the blame on me because I think they want us to reconcile. I didn't put this party together. I'm sorry, but there's no point taking credit for it."

She felt uncomfortable standing there. She felt like she was flogging a dead horse; she didn't understand why Chad would do such a thing when he couldn't even speak to her without feeling awkward. She thought the party had meant something. She thought that she might still have a chance with him. She thought that the party was a sign of where his feelings remained, but when she looked at those sapphire eyes glancing elsewhere and listened to the emptiness of his voice she realised she was still clinging onto foundations that weren't even there. It wasn't him? Everything she had been told was a lie? She felt pathetic standing there listening to him and even more pathetic when she kept telling herself that it wasn't true. She was supposed to be the hero of this story; not the victim. She didn't want to be the victim. It wasn't supposed to end this way. She wasn't even the victim; she was slowly morphing back into the villain she had been when they ended their relationship.

"I'm sorry," she said to him, attempting to remain calm, but when she looked at Chad Dylan Cooper, all of the pain she felt that day decided to brim to the surface of her skin. When she finally came into contact with those sparkly sapphire eyes, that was when she only saw red and the perfect opportunity to tell the truth. "You should have taken credit for the party! What the hell was the problem in making me think that you're nice? All day I have been hearing reports about you romancing Katherine Mason! We've been broken up a month Chad! We've only been broken up a month and you've already moved on! Why couldn't you just take the damn credit for the party? Why couldn't you give me some hope that I ever had a chance with you again?"

Sonny decided not to look into his eyes again after she said that. She didn't think that she could look into his eyes after she said all that. It felt like she had been vomiting and now she was stuck with the vile taste in her mouth. She watched the contents of her bile spilled all over Chad and she couldn't stay another moment in his presence without falling apart completely. She stormed away, prepared to spend the rest of the night pretending that she was having the time of her life with the people that really mattered.

"Because I didn't think you were still in love with me!"

Sonny was just about to slam the door when he said that. Damn that stupid Chad and his revelations! She turned round and saw Chad standing there looking lost and with his hands in his pocket.

"What?"

"I organised the party the minute we broke up because I thought you were taking some time to think things over," he remarked, finding it difficult to look at her, but he was courageous enough to keep his eyes on hers at all times. "I didn't think it was really over between us, but then you brought all my stuff over and I thought that was it and that was why I yelled and stuff. Oh, by the way, Katherine Mason is like my second cousin or something so don't dare accuse me of moving on, because I haven't moved on. I can't move on from you because I am still in love with you. I love you. I love everything about you. Stupid love."

Sonny should have been upset with what he said, but she couldn't help but be reminded of something he told her before, when they had just started dating. Apparently he had been terribly jealous when she was interested in James Conroy and she would always recall something he remembered telling James:

"Everything she does is cute. Stupid cute."

"See that is just like you Chad!" Sonny snapped, shaking her head. It was as if he was tossing every emottion she had ever felt into a blender. Why did he continue to do this to her? "You go and you say something like that and I can't hate you! I can never hate you even though I should because-"

Chad didn't let her finish. He walked over to her, cupped her face with his hands and then kissed her passionately. Sonny couldn't pull away any longer and not one part of her body begged her to. She wrapped her arms around him and responded to him urgently. She had missed him. It was obvious from that moment that they were doomed. He was right about when she kissed him; she fell in love every time, no matter what.

Stupid love.

THE END

**Author's Note: Okay, I won't even lie; writing that happy ending felt a little weird. If you read my other stuff, you might notice I have a thing for morbid endings. I have to say, it can be quite fulfilling making characters happy for a change :). Please let me know what you think; I love hearing from you guys!**


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